Electronic systems often include integrated circuits (ICs) that are connected to a subassembly such as a substrate or motherboard. The ICs can be packaged and inserted into an IC socket that is mounted on the subassembly. An example of an IC socket is a land grid array socket or LGA socket. IC sockets can include a pick and place cover or cap. The pick and place cover is to protect the contacts of the IC socket from damage during shipping from the IC socket suppliers to the electronic system manufacturers. The pick and place cover also can provide a uniform surface that allows surface mount technology (SMT) equipment to pick up the IC socket from a shipping tray and place the IC socket on a motherboard or other printed circuit board (PCB).
There can be competing design constraints for a pick and place cover of an IC socket. During pick and place of the IC socket, it is desired that the pick and place cover have a high retention force to hold the socket body and cover together so that it does not fall off. Yet the pick and place cover needs to be removed (typically manually) at some point in the manufacturing process where it would be desired to have a low retention force to ease removal. Thus, there are general needs for devices, systems and methods that address the competing requirements for pick and place covers for IC sockets.